Skyline Benidorm Film Festival kicks off this Saturday with the Opening Gala and a week packed with films and activities

The tenth edition of Skyline Benidorm Film Festival kicks off this Saturday at 7:00 PM with a launch marked by talent, premieres, and opportunities to meet the audience. This year's festival, which runs until April 25th, will once again make Benidorm a hub for short films. The Cultural Centre will host the Opening Gala, during which the Skyliner Award will be presented to Alicante-born actor Fele Martínez, and Rafa Piqueras' short film "Quemar al padre" (Burn the Father) will premiere. The screening will be attended by members of the cast and crew, including actresses Empar Ferrer and Mireia Pérez, as well as poster artist Assad Kassab.

Jaime Jesús Pérez, Councillor for Culture, emphasised the appropriateness of the award, stating that "Fele Martínez has a solid and versatile career and is one of the most recognised names in Spanish film and television." Furthermore, she highlighted that the actor “has a career that combines feature films, television, and theatre, and maintains a genuine connection with the festival ecosystem.”

The festival director, Beatriz Hernández, for her part, emphasised the energy with which this tenth edition kicks off, noting that “we're starting with a very powerful gala and a weekend packed with talent, but the most important thing is that we're maintaining that momentum throughout the week.”

The program continues on Sunday with two key events that solidify this strong start. First, the talk-and-vermouth session ‘El actor frente ala mar,’ presented by Carles Francino, will feature an open discussion with the public with Fele Martínez. This event also serves as a prelude to Altafulla International Film Festival (ALT IFF), whose second edition will be presented during the festival, reinforcing Skyline's role as a leading event on the circuit.

On Sunday, the festival will also open its feature film section with a screening of ‘Cel meu infern teu’, by Benidorm-born director Alberto Evangelio, as part of the ‘En ocasiones veo largos’ series. The screening will be attended by Sandra Cervera, Tania Fortea, and Víctor Palmero, the winner of the Lola Gaos Award for his role in the film and a member of the cast of ‘Quemar al padre'.

Following the weekend, the festival will offer a packed program throughout the week, with official sections, meetings with film crews, parallel activities, and “a clear commitment to the industry through PRISMA, its professional space,” as the event director pointed out. Between April 22 and 24, PRISMA will bring together filmmakers, producers, and programmers for networking sessions, presentations, and one-on-one meetings.

Beatriz Hernández also highlighted that the international dimension “will be another key focus of this edition,” with Mexico as the guest country and “a specific program that strengthens the ties between both film industries, both on screen and in the professional sphere.” “Skyline is a festival that has grown significantly in these ten years, but what’s important is how it has done so: by broadening its perspective and connecting programming, industry, and audiences. This edition perfectly encapsulates that journey,” Hernández added. The film festival will also maintain its commitment to accessibility, audience development, and parallel activities, with offerings that extend the experience beyond the screenings.

The complete program, schedules, and activities can be found on the festival’s official website, where the public can access full details of an edition that kicks off this Saturday and promises a week packed with films and networking events.